Måned: maj 2014

Yesterday we published an exclusive track by track look back at Velvet Revolverâ€™s Contraband to commemorate its upcoming 10th anniversary with the bandâ€™s rhythm guitarist Dave Kushner, and today we bring you an in-depth Q&A session where Kushner candidly describes his long road to success in rock and roll, Velvet Revolverâ€™s singer search, his relationship with Scott Weiland, Velvet Revolverâ€™s one off reunion with Weiland in 2012, his fears of Izzy Stradlin replacing him before Velvet Revolver even got off the ground, and unreleased VR material. Kushner is honest and humble, with no agenda. This is a must read for any Velvet Revolver fan, and is one of my favorite interviews Iâ€™ve done in the 5 year history of AlternativeNation.net.

Guns Nâ€™ Roses have announced the July 1 release of â€˜Appetite For Democracy 3D: Live At the Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegasâ€™ on Blu-ray and DVD. It is the first video concert release from the band since 1992â€²s â€˜Use Your Illusion.â€™

The upcoming release was recorded at a November 2012 performance. At the time, the group was celebrating the 25th Anniversary of their legendary debut record â€˜Appetite For Destructionâ€˜ as well as the fourth anniversary of their latest studio release, â€˜Chinese Democracy.â€™

The concertâ€™s 26-song set list features expected hits like â€˜November Rain,â€™ â€˜Welcome To The Jungle,â€™ â€˜Patience,â€™ â€˜Paradise City,â€™ and â€˜Donâ€™t Cryâ€™ along with the title track from â€˜Chinese Democracy.â€™ The group also includes cover songs from the Who (â€˜The Seekerâ€™), Pink Floyd (â€˜Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2))â€™ and Neil Young â€˜Donâ€™t Let It Bring You Downâ€™ â€” and of course, their famous version of Bob Dylanâ€˜s â€˜Knockinâ€™ On Heavenâ€™s Door.â€™

Along with enjoying a 5.1 Surround Sound mix and bonus interviews with the group, fans may also want to download the Guns Nâ€™ Roses Appetite For Democracy App, available on the iOS and Android platforms. This will allow them to connect with one another via social media while also offering exclusive merchandise and a host of other features.

Last week, Guns Nâ€™ Roses began their latest Las Vegas residency at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The run is due to wrap up on June 7.

Duswalt claims that Roseâ€™s behavior was never caused by disrespect to the fans. â€œThe myth is that theyâ€™re always late, they donâ€™t care about their audiences, their fans, because they go on late,â€ Duswalt told me. â€œBut the reality is they do care about their fans, so much so that Axl wanted to put on the best show possible. Thatâ€™s why sometimes he was late because he was not ready to go at the drop of a hat. He had to prepare and sometimes it took longer for him to get into the mindset to put on what he feels is the best show.â€

The mindset that Rose had to get into was in fact a state of frenzy, because he carried the weight of delivering the Gun Nâ€™ Roses experience on stage. And that experience was all about intensity, danger, violence and mayhem. It was what the fans came for. Axl Rose told journalist Mick Wall in 1990, referencing prize fighter Mike Tysonâ€™s biography Bad Intentions, â€œI relate what I do to what Tyson says about when he punches someone in the head. He says he imagines hitting â€˜em so hard his fist knocks their nose bone right back into their brains. He says when he goes in the ring he does it with bad intentions. Well, thatâ€™s like me getting ready to start something, like going onstage. And you gotta make sure when you knock â€˜em down they stay down.â€ Turning the rage on or off was not always easy.

On sale a full four weeks before the regular UK album release, Classic Rock’s Slash Fan Pack includes the guitar hero’s fantastic new album World On Fire with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, plus an in-depth, glossy, full-colour magazine dedicated to every aspect of how the album was written and recorded. Read: exclusive new interviews with Slash, Myles Kennedy, the band members, the album’s producer and cover artist, and Slash and Myles’ full track by-track breakdown of the new release. See: Slash’s Firepower! An exclusive photo shoot for Classic Rock Presentsâ€¦ featuring Slash’s favourite new guitars; exclusive fly-on-the-wall pics from inside the studio Plus: competitions and much more. This album is the former Guns N’Roses and Velvet Revolver guitar hero’s third as a solo artist, and the follow-up to 2010’s Slash and 2012’s Apocalyptic Love (Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators) both of which were released with Classic Rock in Fan Pack form.

Before joining Guns Nâ€™ Roses in 2006, Frank Ferrer was the drummer of an alt-metal band during the late â€™80s/early â€™90s, called the Beautiful, of which an official Facebook page was recently launched. The page includes rare photos, info, and songs to hear â€“ check it out by clicking here. The Beautiful only issued one EP a self-titled release in 1990 and one full-length Storybook in 1992 for the Warner Bros. subsidiary Giant Records, and according to the bandâ€™s Wikipedia entry, was once described as â€œA mix of Janeâ€™s Addiction at their most wistful and the broody flowery sway of Saigon Kick. Ultra-cool without having to try, it manages to glint but always remain exquisite from a far and is happy to lace its edges with darkness.â€One of the more overlooked alt-rock recordings of the genreâ€™s golden early â€™90s period, the Storybook album spawned a song for which a video would be filmed, â€œJohn Doeâ€ which aired once or twice on MTVâ€™s Headbangers Ball, and included other standout tracks the acoustic â€œThe We in Me,â€ the epic title track, etc. that fit in perfectly with such popular acts of the era like Janeâ€™s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, and Stone Temple Pilots. Unfortunately, this would prove to be the final release from the band.Ferrer supplied drums on four songs from G nâ€™ Râ€™s Chinese Democracy album â€“ â€œBetter,â€ â€œIf the World,â€ â€œThere Was a Time,â€ and â€œI.R.S.â€

In this month’s cover story we travel back to 1989: from the controversy of GNâ€™R Lies to their on-stage meltdown with the Rolling Stones, this is the story of 12 insane months with The Worldâ€™s Most Dangerous Band. â€œAxl was the only sober one. He was surrounded by guys on heroin or sleeping pills.â€

Ex-GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Duff McKagan returned to the band for five shows in South America last month to fill in for Tommy Stinson, who was playing reunion dates with THE REPLACEMENTS.

McKagan joined GUNS ‘N ROSES onstage for the first time in 17 years at an October 2010 concert in London. He also performed with the current version of GUNS in December 2011 at shows in Vancouver and Seattle. All three appearances were for a few songs, not full gigs.

Last month’s South American shows marked the first time Duff has played full concerts with the band since his departure in 1994.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-south-american-concert-attendances-grosses-revealed/#2paVyBBXk3xiEJTg.99

A new report surfaced today on a major entertainment site suggesting that Guns Nâ€™ Roses were on the verge of calling it quits because Axl Rose was set to retire, but a very solid source within the bandâ€™s camp has told Loudwire that the retirement talk is â€œbullsâ€“t.â€

Radar Online reported that the band was planning to call it a day after the June 7 finale of their current Las Vegas residency, citing that band members had been told that their calendars were clear following the Vegas shows. They quoted a source as saying that Rose was considering retirement and that it was â€œdone.â€

However, our source within the GNâ€™R camp claims that the fact that the band members have been told that their calendars are cleared is nothing new for when the band has some down time. As has been in the past, the group members have gone off and pursued other projects.

Bassist Tommy Stinson, who has played some reunion dates with The Replacements this year, will get a chance to continue with their remaining shows. Richard Fortus and Dizzy Reed will have the opportunity to work more with The Dead Daisies and guitarist Ron â€œBumblefootâ€ Thal has been known to pursue solo work on the side as well. Not to mention, guitarist DJ Ashba and his cohorts in Sixx: A.M. are closing in on a new album.

So it appears to be business as usual in the Guns Nâ€™ Roses camp, with a healthy break after their Vegas residency for the members to pursue their other passions. That said, it may be a little while before we see the band play live again, so click here to pick up tickets for their current Vegas shows.